Late Happy New Year

Yes, I know...I am way behind. Kinda funny for someone like me, who regards punctuality as a very important thing. The holidays are behind us, and weren't they wonderful? I know they were for me. And I hope they were for all those I know and love.

This has been a really great start to the New Year. Probably the best I have had in years. Career wise, we were able to finish the second half of the year dramatically well. Finished just shy of meeting our budget numbers for the year. After finishing the first quarter at a dismal 67% and sitting at 77%, this is alot for my team and me to be proud of. And I am proud! But, as you all know, life is not work. Work to live...don't live to work. It is just that working 50 hours a week, plus 10 hours of commuting takes up a whole lot of my time. Sometimes I long for a 9-5 job, but I don't think it would suit my personality.

Joy and I just had out first day off together (not including Christmas) since early June. How nice to be able to spend the time together and just enjoy one another's company. We, along with her nephew Bobby and great nephew little Bob, as well as her sister Dawn, made the trek over the Smokeys to North Carolina to spend the night. Spent some time in the casino, and just hanging out together. Very enjoyable. I look forward to more of these days coming up, now that we have hired someone to hold down the fort at work. And how wonderful for me to know that I can count on my son to help out. Help out with the house, the dogs, and at work, too. Proud of my kid.

I have also been tremendously enjoying my Kindle Fire. If Joy would have sat and thought for 100 years, I still don't think she could have come up with a more perfect gift for me. Due to long hours of work, keeping up the house and the family, helping out with Joy's Dad when I can, I can't remember the last trip I made to a book store. I love to read. Hell, I will even check out the books in the Dollar Store when we are there. But now, having the Kindle, I can download books at my convenience. I can read the synopsis and reviews before I buy them. Then I have them forever. It still won't make me part with the book shelf of books I own. But it is so cool to be able to read at 4:30am on the way to work. Makes the commute go by much faster, and I feel as though I am actually accomplishing something. Within the first week of owning it, I downloaded about 10 books. I completed the entire Hunger Games series, as well as Stephen King's new novel 11/22/63. Nearly 900 pages, and I couldn't get through it fast enough. I sacrificed a couple of precious hours of sleep to finish it one night. And for anyone who has ever suffered from insomnia, as I have for the last 30 years (God...it feels weird to write that) you know what a loss that it.

Anyway, I know this has kind of been a mish-mosh of thoughts...but that is kind of how I feel right now.

I have a mandatory phone meeting in 30 minutes to prepare for, so I guess I better jet on outta here. Until then...

Peace & Love~~~Jill